Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Pandemic Erects Barriers for Prized Bloc of Voters in Nursing Homes, Senior Facilities
Voting is a point of pride for many older Americans, and senior living facilities in past years have encouraged the civic act by hosting voting precincts, providing transportation to the polls and bringing in groups to help explain election issues. But fears of the spread of the coronavirus among this vulnerable population make voting more difficult this year. (Rachel Bluth, )
Jobless Californians Soon Will Get $300 Checks: Hundreds of thousands of Californians who were out of work at the start of last month will be getting another week of supplemental $300 payments from the federal government, the state’s Employment Development Department said Thursday. The Lost Wages Assistance Program payments to qualified claimants should start going out next week. Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Volunteers Haul Away 40,000 Pieces Of Trash In Statewide Cleanup: There were the usual cigarette butts and bottle caps. But this year, there was also a lot of PPE picked up during September’s Coastal Cleanup Month. The Top 10 discarded items included takeout containers, cups and utensils. Plastic bags, banned in the state in 2014, made a comeback, too. Read more from the Southern California News Group.
Below, check out the roundup of California Healthline’s coverage and the best of the rest. For today's national health news, read KHN's Morning Briefing.
More News From Across The State
Politico:
Trump Makes Bold Claims About His Health As He Returns To The Fox Interview Circuit
President Donald Trump returned to form on Thursday morning, engaging in a freewheeling, 55-minute interview on Fox Business in which he made bold claims about his health and coronavirus in general just days after announcing he had contracted the deadly disease. The president, his voice steady but slightly raspy, even boasted that he was in shape to stage one of his marathon political rallies — if he was allowed to hold one. ... Using a joking tone, he claimed he was a “perfect physical specimen, adding “I’m lucky in that way.” (Niedzwiadek, 10/8)
The Hill:
White House Doctor Says Trump Safe To Return To Public Events On Saturday
White House physician Sean Conley said Thursday that President Trump would be able to make a “safe return” to public events on Saturday, less than two weeks after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. Conley issued a memo Thursday evening stating that Trump had completed his therapy for COVID-19 and that he has responded “extremely well” to treatment overall. The update came just three days after Trump returned to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he received treatment for 72 hours. (Chalfant, 10/8)
The Washington Post:
Antibody Treatment Trump Touts Relied On Testing With Fetal Tissue He Opposes
President Trump received an experimental antibody cocktail as part of a treatment regimen for covid-19 he has extolled as “miracles coming down from God,” even though its development relied on cells derived from human fetal tissue, a material his administration opposes. The effectiveness of the antibody therapy was tested by employing a fetal tissue cell line from the 1980s widely used in biomedical research, according to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, its manufacturer. The cell line is old enough that it would fall outside restrictions on federal funding of fetal tissue research the Trump administration imposed last year, according to National Institutes of Health guidelines. (Goldstein, 10/8)
Politico:
What Caused Mike Pence’s Bloody Eye
Vice President Mike Pence ignited speculation about his health when he arrived at the only vice presidential debate Wednesday night with a bloody left eye, but a senior administration official on Thursday said there’s no reason to be concerned. White House doctors have cleared the vice president of a conjunctivitis infection, commonly known as pink eye, and believe Pence suffered from a broken blood vessel instead, according to the official. (Orr, 10/8)
Los Angeles Times:
Is Pink Eye A COVID-19 Symptom?
Is pink eye a symptom of COVID-19? A lot of people have been wondering this since noticing that Mike Pence’s left eye looked decidedly pink at the vice presidential debate Wednesday night, even though the vice president has said he tested negative for a coronavirus infection. The short answer is: Pink eye can be caused by COVID-19, but only rarely. (Netburn, 10/8)
Roll Call:
Health Care Rates For 2021 Stable, But 2022 May Bring Challenges
A drop in health care costs is projected to keep insurance rates low in 2021, but long-term worries about the COVID-19 pandemic are raising concerns about potential spikes in future years. Final rate increases in the individual market are under 5 percent in places like Idaho, the District of Columbia and Minnesota. Several states, including Hawaii and Oregon, are even expecting price drops. (Clason, 10/8)
Axios:
Employer Health Coverage Costs Still Outpaced Wages Heading Into 2020
These costs only accounted for coverage offered heading into 2020, and therefore didn't factor in the coronavirus pandemic. And although the 4% growth rate was the lowest since 2017, it still exceeded the average growth of workers' wages (3.4%) and general inflation (2.1%) — meaning employer health care continues to eat away at people's budgets. (Herman, 10/8)
The New York Times:
Even As The Economy Grew, More Children Lost Health Insurance
The share of children with health coverage in the United States fell for the third consecutive year in 2019, according to census data, after decades of increases. The decline occurred during a period of economic growth — before the coronavirus pandemic caused broad job losses that might have cost many more Americans their health insurance. (Sanger-Katz and Goodnough, 10/9)
Marketplace:
How To Find Health Care After A Layoff In A Pandemic
The Affordable Care Act has emerged as a sticking point in the presidential campaign. Democratic vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris has said that the Trump administration, aided by a new Supreme Court bench, could invalidate Obamacare and its requirement that insurance companies cover preexisting conditions. Vice President Mike Pence said the administration would not let that happen but has declined to say how. With nearly 12 million people on unemployment and so much health care coverage tied to jobs lost to the pandemic, what are the available options for coverage? Colleen Carey, assistant professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University, joined “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio to discuss. (10/9)
LA Daily News:
Health Officer Says He’s Keeping Watch On L.A. County Coronavirus Spike
One day after the county reported its highest daily number of new coronavirus cases in six weeks, Los Angeles County’s health officer said Thursday if the numbers continue to be elevated, experts will have to dig into the data to see if they can determine a cause of the spike. “We’ll see what those final numbers look like (Thursday),” Dr. Muntu Davis told reporters in an online briefing. “My suspicion is that they won’t be as high. But if we’re seeing a few days or even throughout the whole week some increases, we’ll have to look closer at our data to figure out if there’s some commonality among those increases in cases.” (10/8)
Fresno Bee:
Fresno County COVID-19 Cases Slow Down, But Officials Warn Public To Keep Guard Up
Data continues to look positive in the central San Joaquin Valley as many counties have seen a slowdown in the number of coronavirus cases, but health officials have warned residents not to let their guard down. Fresno County reported 47 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday in numbers released by state health officials. The number of deaths has not changed, because county officials update that count only on Tuesday and Fridays. (Miller, 10/8)
The Desert Sun:
Riverside County Reports 283 New Coronavirus Cases, One New Death
Riverside County health officials on Thursday reported 283 new COVID-19 cases and one additional virus-related death. There have now been 61,416 confirmed cases and 1,248 virus-related deaths in Riverside County. The county faces the possibility of closing businesses again next week as its coronavirus metrics continue to worsen. It's inching back toward the purple tier, the most strict tier of the state's reopening plan. (Henry, 10/8)
The Desert Sun:
Nearly 20% Of Detainees At Adelanto ICE Facility Have COVID-19
Nearly 20% of the people detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center have tested positive for COVID-19 amid a growing coronavirus outbreak at the federal immigration detention center in San Bernardino County. There were 148 active cases of the virus at the detention facility as of Wednesday morning, according to data posted on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. The facility housed 772 people as of Monday, ICE said in a court filing. (Plevin, 10/7)
LA Daily News:
LA County To Offer Grants To Businesses Unable To Open During Coronavirus Pandemic
Officials with the Los Angeles County Development Authority said they will open the application process Friday, Oct. 9, for small businesses to seek COVID-19 financial assistance. The county Board of Supervisors recently voted to use Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds to create the Small Business Revitalization Grant Program. “Now that the Trump administration has made the unconscionable decision to walk away from a stimulus package, it has fallen to Los Angeles County to do what we can to support local small businesses,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said. “We aren’t going to turn our backs on communities during this crisis.” (10/8)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Adventist Health Hosting Drive-In Movie Night At AIS Cancer Center To Support Breast Cancer Screenings
Adventist Health Bakersfield is hosting a drive-in movie night at AIS Cancer Center on Oct. 15 that will give women the opportunity to undergo a mammogram or a free breast screening while their families can enjoy a movie. The movie “Sing” will be playing at 6:30 p.m. in the cancer center’s parking lot. (10/8)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Buy A Treat To Aid Breast Cancer Awareness
October is breast cancer awareness month and in addition to screenings and activities, some local businesses are offering treats to benefit cancer research and other efforts. (Dias, 10/8)
NPR:
Scientists Study The Long Term Health Effects Of Wildfire Smoke
In recent weeks, tens of millions of Americans have lived and breathed through a thick haze of wildfire smoke. In places, it lasted for weeks. The immediate health effects of that are well known to the medical community and anyone who's been exposed: Eyes sting, throats tighten, snot can turn black. Respiratory problems like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be exacerbated, causing spikes in hospital visits. And recent research on the link between wildfire smoke and the flu, even suggests it could increase a person's risk of contracting COVID-19. (Rott, 10/9)
The Desert Sun:
Tampon Labels, Hypodermic Needles: A Guide To New California Health Care Laws
Among the many bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, several are aimed at improving health care and consumer protection. Some will affect consumers of feminine products while others impact low-income individuals, domestic workers, seniors and people with disabilities. Newsom announced Sept. 29 that he signed 35 Assembly Bills and 15 Senate Bills into law. He vetoed 18 bills. (Sestito, 10/7)
Los Angeles Times:
U.N.'s World Food Program Is Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize
The United Nations’ World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in recognition of its efforts to fight hunger across the globe. The Norwegian Nobel Institute paid tribute to the organization “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.” The prize committee said that 135 million people suffered from acute hunger in 2019, the most in years. The COVID-19 crisis has increased that number. (Bengali and Chu, 10/9)
LA Daily News:
L.A. City/County Officials Expected At Urgent Homelessness Lawsuit Hearing
Los Angeles city and county officials are expected this morning at an emergency meeting called to break a deadlock in negotiations aimed at immediately providing shelter for 6,700 people living on the streets under the threat of the coronavirus. The last-minute mediation conference was placed on the calendar Tuesday by a Los Angeles federal judge fed up with a funding logjam that has stymied progress for months since the city and county agreed to move forward with plans to provide beds and shelter to many of the region’s most badly-off residents. (Shuster, 10/8)
Los Angeles Times:
Politics And Public Acceptance Of A COVID-19 Vaccine
The key to defeating the COVID-19 pandemic may have less to do with vaccine science and logistics and more to do with public trust. Week after week, actions by Trump administration appointees have raised suspicions that political motives rather than science are driving decision-making in the development of the vaccine. Events like these have shaken my faith — and the faith of many others — in two of the country’s most revered scientific institutions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and analyzes healthcare data, and the Food and Drug Administration, which approves diagnostic tests and treatments. (Harvey Klein, 10/8)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Is Trump’s Treatment An Example Of VIP Syndrome?
A few years before he died, my friend Charles Krauthammer, a psychiatrist turned Pulitzer-winning political commentator, told me that the quality of health care you receive tends to rise in tandem with your income — up to a point. (Jonah Goldberg, 10/7)
Los Angeles Times:
How Do You Feel Empathy For A Man Who Has None?
When I first learned that President Trump had contracted the novel coronavirus, I felt not an ounce of empathy. On second thought, I felt guilty for having this knee-jerk reaction. I like to see myself as someone who cares about other people’s struggles, and can empathize with them. After looking online, I saw that the sentiment I feared saying aloud was echoing across the internet. Neither the Twitterverse nor I was shocked that a man who had mocked the severity of the virus for months had at last succumbed to the consequences of his words and inaction. (Erin B. Logan, 10/5)
Los Angeles Times:
Note To The Trump Family: Wear Your Damn Masks
As the guests arrive at the vice presidential debate Wednesday evening, my guess is that they’ll not only be directed to wear face masks but they’ll actually have to do it. That would be a nice change. At the presidential debate last week at Case Western Reserve University and the renowned Cleveland Clinic, the Trump family and several top aides not only sat in the audience unmasked, but they also rejected masks when offered by a clinic staffer. Yet masks were among the rules set down for the event. (Karin Klein, 10/6)
Oakland Tribune:
GOP Must Stop Stalling On COVID-19 Relief Bill
After months of inaction and obstruction by the White House and Senate Leadership, House Democrats said “enough” and passed an updated $2.2 trillion relief bill to help millions of families struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. As much as the Trump administration has tried to pretend otherwise, the pandemic is not over, as the outbreak at the White House makes clear. Tens of millions of workers are unemployed. The number of families living without enough food has skyrocketed. Businesses across the country, and in the Bay Area, continue to close, many of them for good. (Rep. Barbara Lee, 10/7)
Los Angeles Times:
CDC Finally Admits Coronavirus Can Linger In The Air
Oh, how wrong I got it in the early pandemic days. I and everyone else. When my daughter flew home from Chicago in March to spend what we thought would be a month or two of COVID-19 danger together, we followed the advice of the time: She changed clothes and showered right after arriving. Then we sat at least 6 feet apart — more like 8 feet apart — in the living room, doing our respective work by computer. I bathed the groceries like they were my babies, sprayed and wiped and scrubbed down surfaces with bleach at times, with rubbing alcohol other times. Who could find disinfectant wipes in those days? (Karin Klein, 10/8)
Fresno Bee:
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett Will Help Conservatives Strip Away Rights
What difference will it make in the law and in people’s lives to replace liberal United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with someone from the opposite end of the political spectrum, Judge Amy Coney Barrett? (Erwin Chemerinsky, 10/2)
LA Daily News:
As Newsom Urges Vigilance, California Should Adjust Coronavirus Rules
California has been able to relax coronavirus-related restrictions in many counties over the last several weeks without experiencing a spike in infections. But as the weather cools and flu season arrives, some fear the state could face the increasing spread of COVID-19. With California’s color-coded reopening rules, large counties may slip back into the state’s restrictive purple tier, which forces many indoor businesses to close. (Marc Joffe, 10/7)
Los Angeles Times:
Don't Let Exide Walk Away From Its Toxic Mess
Five years ago, federal prosecutors made a devil’s bargain with one of Los Angeles’ worst polluters. Authorities had built a damning case against Exide Technologies, which operated a battery recycling plant in Vernon. They found environmental violations spanning two decades. The company tainted the groundwater and polluted the soil on its site with lead, arsenic and other toxic metals. It shipped truckloads of crushed plastic that leaked battery acid and lead onto roads. Worse, initial tests revealed that Exide’s pollution spread to nearby homes, where regulators found such high levels of lead that parents were warned to keep their kids from playing in their yards. (10/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Don't Be Part Of The 'Twindemic.' Get A Flu Shot
On Tuesday, I biked over to the local Kaiser clinic to get my flu shot. I get one every year, but never this early.I usually wait until the autumn heat wanes and Southern California’s version of winter settles in, pushing people and gatherings inside where viruses spread more easily. This year, waiting for winter to get a flu shot seemed as risky as waiting for Nov. 3 to vote. I’ve had the flu. It’s not an experience I wish to repeat — especially if there’s a possibility of suffering from both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. (Mariel Garza, 10/9)